Chapter 2. All about Dashboard Design Best Practices

Data visualization is a field in constant evolution. However, some concepts have proven their value time and again throughout the years and have become what we call best practices. These notions should not be seen as strict rules that must be applied without any further consideration but as a series of tips that will help you create better applications.

If you are a beginner, try to stick to them as much as you can. They will save you a lot of trouble and greatly enhance your first endeavors. On the other hand, if you are an advanced developer, combine them with your personal experiences in order to build the ultimate dashboard.

Some guidelines in this chapter come from widely renowned characters in the field of data visualization, such as Stephen Few, Edward Tufte, John Tukey, Alberto Cairo, and Nathan Yau. If any of these concepts strikes your attention, I strongly recommend you to read more about it in their books. Throughout this chapter, we will discuss the following topics: